]]>It has been brought to ICANN‘s attention that some online entities have attempted to sell fraudulent “certificates”, which they claim are required to protect generic top-level domain names. The perpetuators of this scam threaten registrants on the protection service with the objective of securing a fee from the registrant. The “certificates” look official and include an unauthorized use of the ICANN logo.

Please note that ICANN does not issue certificates to registrants and does not collect fees from registrants directly.

ICANN is currently investigating these cases and advises registrants who encounter similar incidents to report to ICANN immediately via an email to Contractual Compliance at compliance@icann.org.

About ICANN

ICANN‘s mission is to ensure a stable, secure and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer – a name or a number. That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination we wouldn’t have one global Internet. ICANN was formed in 1998. It is a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet’s unique identifiers. ICANN doesn’t control content on the Internet. It cannot stop spam and it doesn’t deal with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet’s naming system, it does have an important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet. For more information please visit: www.icann.org.

]]>Remaining IPv4 Addresses to be Redistributed to Regional Internet Registries – IPv4 is Nearing Total Exhaustionhttps://rocket-powered.com/remaining-ipv4-addresses-to-be-redistributed-to-regional-internet-registries-ipv4-is-nearing-total-exhaustion/
Fri, 01 Aug 2014 00:39:47 +0000https://www.rocket-powered.com/?p=1197ICANN announced today that it has begun the process of allocating the remaining blocks of IPv4 addresses to the five Regional Internet Registries (RIR). The activation of this procedure was… read more →

]]>ICANN announced today that it has begun the process of allocating the remaining blocks of IPv4 addresses to the five Regional Internet Registries (RIR). The activation of this procedure was triggered when Latin America and Caribbean Network Information Centre’s (LACNIC) supply of addresses dropped to below 8 million.

This move signals that the global supply of IPv4 addresses is reaching a critical level. As more and more devices come online, the demand for IP addresses rises, and IPv4 is incapable of supplying enough addresses to facilitate this expansion. ICANN encourages network operators around the globe to adopt IPv6, which allows for the rapid growth of the Internet.

“We are grateful for the guidance we’ve received from the RIR‘s as the number of unallocated IPv4 addresses dwindles,” said Elise Gerich, Vice President of IANA and Technical Operations at ICANN. “This redistribution of the small pool of IPv4 addresses held by us ensures that every region receives an equal number of addresses while we continue to work with the community to raise support for IPv6.”

“The IANAIPv4Recovered Address Space registry contained about 20 million IPv4 addresses earlier today and is now about half that size,” said Leo Vegoda, Operational Excellence Manager at ICANN. “Redistributing increasingly small blocks of IPv4 address space is not a sustainable way to grow the Internet. IPv6 deployment is a requirement for any network that needs to survive.”

IPv6 facilitates the exponential growth of the Internet by providing 340-undecillion unique addresses, compared to the 3.7 billion afforded by IPv4.

“To continue to fuel the economic growth and opportunity that is brought by the Internet, we are at the point where rapid adoption of IPv6 is a necessity to maintain that growth,” said Gerich.

]]>Free Hosting for Local Students and Non-Profit / Not-for-Profit Organizationshttps://rocket-powered.com/free-hosting-for-local-students-and-non-profit-not-for-profit-organizations/
Tue, 13 May 2014 05:12:45 +0000https://www.rocket-powered.com/?p=1177It’s been almost eight weeks since we announced that Rocket-Powered.com would offer free Web hosting for local non-profit / not-for-profit organizations and, in that short amount of time – without… read more →

]]>It’s been almost eight weeks since we announced that Rocket-Powered.com would offer free Web hosting for local non-profit / not-for-profit organizations and, in that short amount of time – without any other announcement than the press release that we issued through the Truckee-Donner Chamber of Commerce – two local, non-profit organizations have moved their sites to Rocket-Powered.com and three others have contacted us about hosting their sites as well.

]]>Support for Microsoft Windows XP Ends April 8, 2014https://rocket-powered.com/micorsoft-windows-xp-ends/
Mon, 17 Mar 2014 20:02:59 +0000http://rocket-powered.com/?p=1073If you use Microsoft Windows XP at home or at work, you’re not alone! Windows XP, the operating system released by Microsoft in 2001, is still the second-most popular version… read more →

]]>If you use Microsoft Windows XP at home or at work, you’re not alone! Windows XP, the operating system released by Microsoft in 2001, is still the second-most popular version of the Microsoft operating system.

According to NetMarketShare, as of June, 2013, 38.7% of PC’s still used XP.

And that has security experts around the World very concerned. Why? Because last year, Microsoft announced that it would no longer offer security updates for the Windows XP operating system after April 8, 2014. And that has cybercriminals around the World rejoicing. Why? Because the malware industry – i.e., the highly sophisticated organizations that develop the commercial attack tools that cybercriminal gangs, hacktivist organizations, and even some governments use to attack computer networks – is an extremely lucrative one that’s growing rapidly.

In an August, 2013 interview with Computerworld security researcher Jason Fossen, an instructor for the security training firm SANS, opined that in the past six months the commercial release of cyberattack tools has slowed. Fossen believes that this slowdown has been caused by the malware industry holding on to tools that – if the tools were released today – would normally be addressed by Microsoft in a few weeks or possibly a few days. And the limited time frame for using these tools makes them less valuable on the black market – and the malware industry realizes this – so they’re holding on to these tools until Microsoft stops issuing security fixes for Windows XP. Once this happens, the same tools will fetch a much higher price on the black market. e.g., “The average price on the black market for a Windows XP exploit is $50,000 to $150,000, a relatively low price that reflects Microsoft’s [timely] response,” said Fossen.

Microsoft warns that PC’s running Windows XP after April 8, 2014 should not be considered secure.

Microsoft Security Essentials will not be available for download on Windows XP after April 8, 2014.

The bottom line, however, is that – if you use Microsoft Windows XP at home or at work – it’s time to find a new operating system.

If you need help find a new operating system for your computer you should contact Ernie Dambach or Carl LeBlanc at Tahoe Tech Group in Tahoe Vista. You can visit their Web site or just pick up the phone and call: (530) 580-8324

]]>ICANN has authorized the bulk transfer of gTLD domain names from ABSYSTEMS INC (DBA yournamemonkey.com) to EnCirca, Inc. due to compliance actions taken by ICANN that resulted in the de-accreditation of ABSYSTEMS INC (DBA yournamemonkey.com).

The affected gTLD registries have processed the bulk transfers. Former registrant-customers of ABSYSTEMS INC (DBA yournamemonkey.com) should receive notices from EnCirca, Inc. advising of the transfer. Customer questions about the transfer should be directed to EnCirca, Inc. (for contact details see http://www.internic.net/registrars/registrar-455.html or visit their website directly here: http://www.encirca.com/). Additional information about these bulk transfers is provided here (below) and on the ICANN site.

FAQ’s

Q. Why were these transfers authorized by ICANN?

As a result, ABSYSTEMS INC (DBA yournamemonkey.com) is no longer permitted to register or manage gTLD registrations. ICANN authorized bulk transfers pursuant to the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy to ensure that the registrant-customers of this registrar would not be harmed by their registrar’s discontinued ability to manage the registrations.

Q. Will EnCirca, Inc. attempt to contact the affected registrants? What should customers of this de-accredited registrar do now?

A. Former customers of ABSYSTEMS INC (DBA yournamemonkey.com) should receive a notice of the transfer and instructions for continued management of their names from EnCirca, Inc. Affected customers who do not receive notices from EnCirca, Inc. should contact EnCirca, Inc. by using the contact information provided at http://www.internic.net/registrars/registrar-455.html.

Q. Do registrants have to pay a fee for the bulk transfer?

A. No, there is no cost to registrants for the bulk transfer. Unlike a normal inter-registrar transfer, the registration terms will not be extended by a year. Accordingly, it is important to contact EnCirca, Inc. if your registration will expire soon in order to maintain your registration.

Q. What if affected registrants want to select a different registrar?

A. Registrants will continue to be able to transfer their registrations to other registrars under the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy (see http://www.icann.org/en/transfers/). Note that EnCirca, Inc. may deny transfers for the first 60 days following the bulk transfer, at its discretion. This 60-day period is permissible under the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy and is intended to help protect registrants. The registrant may need to renew names that will expire during the first 60 days following the transfer to EnCirca, Inc. by using the details provided above.

Q. How will ABSYSTEMS INC dba yournamemonkey(dot)com customers know if a message purportedly from EnCirca, Inc. is legitimate?

A. The message from EnCirca, Inc. should direct you to its website or refer you to other contact information provided above. For general advice about avoiding phishing email messages, you may also wish to refer to the materials prepared by the Anti-Phishing Working Group (see http://www.antiphishing.org/resources/overview/avoid-phishing-scams).

Los Angeles, California… ICANN’s Generic Domains Division today announced that the number of new generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) delegated into the Internet’s Root Zone has topped 100. Delegation is one of the final steps before the Registries that control the domains may begin accepting registrations for names that will use the new gTLDs.

“There are now almost five times more generic Top-Level Domains than there were only a few months ago and that translates to greater consumer choice,” said Akram Atallah, President of ICANN’s Global Domains Division. “We are as eager as everyone else to see what type of innovation these new Domains will usher into the online world.”

This massive expansion of the Domain Name System (DNS) represents one of the greatest changes to the Internet since its inception.

“This is an historic milestone for ICANN’s New gTLD Program and the Internet as a whole,” said Christine Willett, Vice President of gTLD Operations. “The year ahead will be defined by new opportunities in a vastly expanding online landscape.”

In addition to the new delegations, over 200 Registry Agreements (RA) have been signed by new gTLD applicants. Signing an agreement allows applicants to move onto the final stages of the Program and prepare for delegation into the DNS.

ICANN will continue to delegate new generic Top-Level Domains on a regular basis.

Further Reading

]]>What’s in a Name?https://rocket-powered.com/domain_name_system/
Tue, 31 Dec 2013 04:06:21 +0000http://rocket-powered.com/?p=232In the previous installment of the “Getting Started can be Tough!” series, we talked a bit about the first step in building a Web site: Choosing a Web hosting company.… read more →

]]>In the previous installment of the “Getting Started can be Tough!” series, we talked a bit about the first step in building a Web site: Choosing a Web hosting company. And last week we talked about the changes to the ICANN 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA). Fundamentally, the RAA deals with Internet domain names and, therefore, it deals with the single most important aspect of the Internet: domain names. So it only seems logical that — in this installment of “Getting Started can be Tough” — we’ll talk about the single most important factor in the popularity and the success of the Internet — the Domain Name System (DNS) — and the second step in building a Web site: Registering a domain name.

DNS: The Unsung Hero of the Internet

The single most important factor in the popularity and the success of the Internet has to be the Domain Name System (DNS). Without the Domain Name System there would be no dot-com’s; no dot-net’s; no dot-org’s, and; no dot-gov. Without any of these generic Top Level Domains (gTLD’s) there would be no Google.com; no Slideshare.net; no Wikipedia.org; no Whitehouse.gov; and; ironically — there would be no Whitehouse.com. To make the point more directly: How would anyone access Google without using the Google.com domain name? Without domain names, there would only be raw, numeric Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and the Internet would still be a research project because the average user today simply can’t live without those easy-to-remember, hard-to-forget domain names. e.g., Which is easier to remember: “Google.com” or any of the approximately 143,360 public IP addresses assigned to Google?

What is the Domain Name System?

Simply put: The Internet Domain Name System turns a user-friendly domain name (e.g., “Rocket-Powered.com“) into the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that computers use to identify each other on the network (e.g., 173.236.23.185).

What’s an IP Address?

IP addresses are analogous to phone numbers: Every computer on the Internet has an IP address that it uses to communicate with any other computer on the Internet, and; Each and every IP address is globally unique (i.e., No two computers can have the same IP address).

Thanks to DNS, though, you don’t have to keep your own address book of IP addresses. Instead, you use a DNS server, also just called a “name server”, to convert domain names to IP addresses.

Registries, Registrars, and Resellers

The Domain Name System is composed of many individual components but the three that we’re going to talk about are registries, registrars, and resellers:

A domain name registrar is an organization or commercial entity that manages the reservation of Internet domain names. i.e., Registrars sell domain registration to the public.

A domain name reseller is an organization or commercial entity that resells the services of a domain name registrar. e.g., Rocket-Powered.com is a reseller of the registration services of Tucows Domains, Inc.

Did you Know…

Did you know that until 1999, Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI) operated the .com, .net, and .org registries. In addition to the function of domain name registry operator, it was also the sole registrar for these domains. However, several companies had developed independent registrar services. In 1996 one such company, NetNames, developed the concept of a standalone commercial domain name registration service which would sell domain registration and other associated services to the public. This effectively created the retail model into the industry and assigning a wholesale role to the registries. NSI assimilated this model, which ultimately led to the separation of registry and registrar functions.Learn more…

How to Register Your Domain Name

There are a few different criteria for choosing between the nine hundred and ninety-six registrars currently in the official list of accredited registrars but cost and brand-recognition are generally the distinguishing feature that most consumers focus on. Convenience is another distinguishing feature that most consumers don’t easily grasp as most consumers tend to form a life-long relationship with their registrars, renewing their domain name habitually and rarely giving a second thought to the services that form the foundation of their Internet presence.

So – once you’ve found the domain name for you – How do you choose a registrar? What we recommend to all would-be Internet authors and entrepeneurs is simple: Use the registration services of your Web hosting company. Any markup that your Web hosting company may add to the cost of the domain will likely be negligible and the added convenience of managing your domain name alongside your Web site is money well spent in our opinion.

Because registering a domain name is an integral part of hosting a Web site, many Web hosting companies will register your domain name on your behalf as part of their service portfolio.

Some registries sell domain names directly and others rely on separate entities (i.e., registrars) to sell them. e.g., names in the .com TLD are in some sense sold “wholesale” at a regulated price by VeriSign, and individual domain name registrars sell names “retail” to businesses and consumers.Learn more…

ICANN’s New gTLD Program is responsible for the introductions of new gTLDs that will result in the expansion of the Domain Name System from 22 gTLDs (e.g., .COM, .NET, .ORG) to possibly 1,400 new names.

What About DNS Service for Your Domain Name?

Web hosting companies all provide DNS service along with Web hosting service. When you register your domain name, you’ll also need to provide the registrar with the names of at least two DNS servers that will answer requests for your domain name. Most likely, your Web hosting company will serve as the DNS server for your domain name. e.g., When you host your Web site at Rocket-Powered.com, the Rocket-Powered.com DNS servers will answer any/all inquires for your domain name.

What Happens Next?

When you register your domain name, the registrar takes care of recording the domain name with the registry operator and then the registry operator enters the domain name and the DNS server that will answer requests for your domain name into the Internet’s Root Zone, the central authoritative database for the Internet’s Domain Name System. Once that’s done, visitors will be able to use your newly-minted domain name to find your Web site, send you e-mail, etc.

]]>ICANN has authorized the bulk transfer of gTLD domain names from Dynamic Dolphin, Inc. to BigRock Solutions Ltd. due to compliance actions taken by ICANN that resulted in the de-accreditation of Dynamic Dolphin, Inc.

The affected gTLD registries have processed the bulk transfers. Former registrant-customers of Dynamic Dolphin, Inc. should receive notices from BigRock Solutions Ltd. advising of the transfer. Customer questions about the transfer should be directed to BigRock Solutions Ltd. (for contact details see http://www.internic.net/registrars/registrar-1495.html or visit the website directly at http://www.bigrock.com/). Additional information about these bulk transfers is provided below.

As a result, Dynamic Dolphin, Inc. is no longer permitted to register or manage gTLD registrations. ICANN authorized bulk transfers pursuant to the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy to ensure that the registrant-customers of this registrar would not be harmed by their registrar’s discontinued ability to manage the registrations.

Q. Will BigRock Solutions Ltd. attempt to contact the affected registrants? What should customers of this de-accredited registrar do now?

A. Former customers of Dynamic Dolphin, Inc. should receive a notice of the transfer and instructions for continued management of their names from BigRock Solutions Ltd. Affected customers who do not receive notices from BigRock Solutions Ltd. should contact BigRock Solutions Ltd. by using the contact information provided at http://www.internic.net/registrars/registrar-1495.html.

Q. Do registrants have to pay a fee for the bulk transfer?

A. No, there is no cost to registrants for the bulk transfer. Unlike a normal inter-registrar transfer, the registration terms will not be extended by a year. Accordingly, it is important to contact BigRock Solutions Ltd. if your registration will expire soon in order to maintain your registration.

Q. What if affected registrants want to select a different registrar?

A. Registrants will continue to be able to transfer their registrations to other registrars under the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy (see http://www.icann.org/en/transfers/). Note that BigRock Solutions Ltd. may deny transfers for the first 60 days following the bulk transfer, at its discretion. This 60-day period is permissible under the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy and is intended to help protect registrants. The registrant may need to renew names that will expire during the first 60 days following the transfer to BigRock Solutions Ltd. by using the details provided above.

Q. How will Dynamic Dolphin’s customers know if a message purportedly from BigRock Solutions Ltd. is legitimate?

A. The message from BigRock Solutions Ltd. should direct you to its website or refer you to other contact information provided above. For general advice about avoiding phishing email messages, you may also wish to refer to the materials prepared by the Anti-Phishing Working Group (see http://www.antiphishing.org/resources/overview/avoid-phishing-scams).

]]>ICANN has authorized the bulk transfer of gTLD domain names from Pacnames Ltd. to Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. due to compliance actions taken by ICANN that resulted in the de-accreditation of Pacnames Ltd.

FAQ’s

Q. Why were these transfers authorized by ICANN?

As a result, Pacnames Ltd is no longer permitted to register or manage gTLD registrations. ICANN authorized bulk transfers pursuant to the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy to ensure that the registrant-customers of this registrar would not be harmed by their registrar’s discontinued ability to manage the registrations.

Q. Will Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. attempt to contact the affected registrants? What should customers of this de-accredited registrar do now?

A. Former customers of Pacnames Ltd. should receive a notice of the transfer and instructions for continued management of their names from Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. Affected customers who do not receive notices from Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. should contact Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. by using the contact information provided at http://www.internic.net/registrars/registrar-1336.html.

Q. Do registrants have to pay a fee for the bulk transfer?

A. No, there is no cost to registrants for the bulk transfer. Unlike a normal inter-registrar transfer, the registration terms will not be extended by a year. Accordingly, it is important to contact Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. if your registration will expire soon in order to maintain your registration.

Q. What if affected registrants want to select a different registrar?

A. Registrants will continue to be able to transfer their registrations to other registrars under the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy (see http://www.icann.org/en/transfers/). Note that Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. may deny transfers for the first 60 days following the bulk transfer, at its discretion. This 60-day period is permissible under the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy and is intended to help protect registrants. The registrant may need to renew names that will expire during the first 60 days following the transfer to Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. by using the details provided above.

Q. How will Pacnames customers know if a message purportedly from Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. is legitimate?

A. The message from Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. should direct you to its website or refer you to other contact information provided above. For general advice about avoiding phishing email messages, you may also wish to refer to the materials prepared by the Anti-Phishing Working Group (see http://www.antiphishing.org/resources/overview/avoid-phishing-scams).